Updates and Articles, Blogs, and News Releases

LACEY, Wash -- Over nearly 30 years, millions of dollars have been spent to relocate or elevate over 100 residences in the town of Snoqualmie . Much of the money came from the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP). HMGP funding, which is administered by the State, provided between 75 percent of the cost to elevate a home.

Lacey, Wash -- The free disaster legal services toll-free hotline, 1-866-434-8939 that began in late December of 2006, will be turned off on March 16, 2007. Residents who suffered damage from the November 2-11 severe storms and floods have only ten days remaining to receive free-disaster-related legal assistance from the Young Lawyers Division of the Washington State Bar Association.
Persons in disaster-designated counties may seek legal consultation for the next 10 days regarding:

LACEY, Wash. -- Residents in Washington have witnessed how disasters threaten more than personal property and homes. The series of winter storms beginning in November damaged public buildings, utility systems, bridges and highways, not to mention disrupting communications and emergency services.

LACEY, Wash. -- The President has declared a major disaster declaration for 19 Washington counties as a result of the severe winter storms, landslides and mudslides of Dec. 14-15. Under this declaration the Public Assistance (PA) program of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is made available to entities in the following counties: Chelan, Clallam, Clark, Grant, Grays Harbor, Island, King, Klickitat, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, Pend Oreille, Pierce, San Juan, Skagit, Skamania, Snohomish, Thurston and Wahkiakum.

Following is a summary of key federal disaster aid programs that can be made available as needed and warranted under President Bush's major disaster declaration issued for Washington.
Assistance for the State and Affected Local Governments Can Include as Required:

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- The head of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) today announced that federal disaster aid has been made available for Washington to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area struck by a severe winter storm, landslides, and mudslides during the period of December 14-15, 2006.

Public Assistance (PA): Disaster grant assistance available for communities to quickly respond to and recover from major disasters or emergencies declared by the President

Emergency Work (Categories A-B): Work that must be performed to reduce or eliminate an immediate threat to life, protect public health and safety, and to protect improved property that is significantly threatened due to disasters or emergencies declared by the President

Permanent Work (Categories C-G): Work that is required to restore a damaged facility, through repair or restoration, to its pre-disaster design, function, and capacity in accordance with applicable codes and standards